


Love of My Life

by Lollijoy



Series: Love of My Life [2]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Blackjack appears for a hot minute, But it's not focused on, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gamora and Peter ARE in a relationship, Lylla is gonna need tons of emotional support when it comes to Rocket, Mantis and Lylla become bffs, Things don't end well for him, Which is Understandable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-11-27 16:50:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18196811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lollijoy/pseuds/Lollijoy
Summary: Rocket had seen the explosion himself, and he knew there was no way she could escape that, no matter how quick and clever she was. Yet, here she was, standing in front of him.





	1. 89P13

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with that new fic I promised! I do recommend you go read "Dye it Pink" before you read this one, but it isn't absolutely mandatory lol. It will make more sense though.
> 
> To be be honest, I have no idea how many chapters this will have, but so far I'm really enjoying writing it. I hope you enjoy!

 

"Y'know, the least they could do is actually show up on time to the meeting  _they_ made." Rocket mumbled, shuffling his feet in the dry sand.

"Yeah, I'm starting to think they ding dong ditched us." Quill sighed, his hand sheilding his eyes as he looked up at the sky.

The meeting was definitely  _not_  going the way he had expected. When the mysterious ravager ship had forced the Guardians to meet them on this back water planet, using threats, Peter expected to go guns blazing down on these assholes.

What he didn't expect, was them not showing up at all.

Drax frowned, turning to gaze at his fellow Guardian, "What is a ding dong, and why was it placed in a ditch?"

Peter dismissed the question with a soft shake of his head, "I guess the so called  _item that may interest us_ they promised was disappointment."

"Yeah, well,  _you_  promised me a fight, and all I'm seeing is an arid desert climate. " Rocket glared up at the Terran. "If the fight you're talking about is dehydration, than I'm out." The raccoon huffed, turning around so he could walk back into the ship.

"Wait a second, Rocky. You may still get yer chance..." Kraglin suddenly talked into their ears, the static of the com system causing Peter to flinch and Rocket to stop in his tracks. "We got something coming up on the radar."

As if on cue, the familiar sound of a ship's engines began to rumble around them; bringing the sand, that seemed to be everywhere on this stupid planet, up in their faces.

Rocket wrinkled his nose and waved the debris out of his face, coughing.  _I'm gonna need a bath after this._

The rumbling came to a stop as the vessel landed in front of them. It was in fact the ravager ship that had been following them days prior; the familiar jade hull glistening in the two suns the planet offered.

The Guardians simultaneously went into defensive position; their hands on their weapons while they gave the ship a suspicious glare.

The ship hissed as the port airlock opened, a figure emerging from the shadows. The mysterious person paused, as if accessing the Guardians from afar, before beginning to walk towards them.

"Wait a minute…" Kraglin mumbled into the coms, squinting down at the figure from the Quadrant's cockpit. "Is that who I think it is?"

Peter opened his mouth to question him, but the words died in his mouth as he too was able to make out who the figure was.

It was a short and skinny women, with pale skin much like his own. It was hard to make details out because of the dust being whipped around by the wind, but Peter could see she had long greasy black hair. His eyes widened at the sight of the women, the name of which was on the tip of his tongue.

"Woah, isn't that one of the OG Ravager captains? What's her name again…"

"Aleta." Kraglin finished for him. "Captain of the first and only female exclusive Ravager clan."

"I remember Yondou talking about her."

"Yep, they're was rumors they were hooking up before he got exiled."

"Heh, Nice." Rocket snorted.

Gamora rolled her eyes, glaring at Rocket, before turning her gaze back to the women walking towards them; who was followed by two other female Ravagers.  _Guards, perhaps?_

"What would she want with us?" She questioned softly, brows furrowed.

"Like they said, they wanna give us something," Peter frowned, "Hope it isn't a beating."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Gamora frowned.

With that thought, the team immediately went back into defensive position.

Finally, Aleta stood in front of them at comfortable talking distance. Behind her were a Krylorian and an Easkik women, both of which were glaring harshly at the Guardians; standard ravager blasters in hand. All three of them wore matching jumpsuits, the colour of which matched the jade of their ship.

Aleta smirked at them, her arms crossed comfortably over her chest.

"Hello, Guardians."

"Hello, small women." Drax said, causing the Ravager leader to snicker. Her gaze traveled across their rag team group, before finally stopping on Gamora.

"I assume you are the leader, am I correct?"

"There is no leader." Gamora replied coldy.

"I mean, I wouldn't say that-" Peter begun, before being quieted by the Zen-Whoberian's icy glare. He gave her a sheepish grin.

Gamora turned her gaze back to Aleta, her hand resting on the hilt of Godslayer.

"You spoke of something you would like to give us in your message."

"That I did." Aleta smirked, which seemed to be her resting facial expression.

"...Are you gonna tell us what it is, or waste even more of our time?" Rocket scowled, looking up at the women, clearly unimpressed.

The guards behind Aleta glared at the raccoon, their guns now pointed on him.

She chuckled, her gaze moving from Gamora now to Rocket; it was unnerving to say the least.

"And you must be 89P13."

Rocket met her gaze with a fiery glare, "I go by Rocket now, thank you very much." He replied, a hint of cold humour in his tone. "How do you know me?"

"It's what the bounty said. 89P13."

"Wait, what bounty?" Peter asked, confused. "We hadn't done anything wrong. In fact, we saved the Galaxy a second time, like, a week ago."

Drax frowned. It reality, it had nearly been two years since they had destroyed Ego. One would use the expression of _time flies by when one is having fun_ , but Drax didn't. For obvious reasons.

Aleta finally turns her gaze to Quill, the guns from the guards turning to point at him now, "No, you misunderstand. It's not a bounty for the rodent, it's a bounty  _by_  the rodent."

Rocket fell out of defensive position, his expression reading confusion, "Wait, what? I haven't been writing bounties! What the hell are you talking about, lady?!"

"Your seriel number is 89P13 in Nova's bounty records, right?"

_Jeez, I've been meaning to change that._ Rocket cringed, before opening his mouth to defend himself, "Yeah but-"

"And the bounty my crew and I have found was submitted by 89P13, which is you."

"But like I said, I haven't been putting any bounties on anybody! At the moment, I don't want anybody found or murdered or whatever! So, either you're playing a stupid prank, or all that eye makeup has messed up your vision!" Rocket seethed, taking a step forward. This was clearly a mistake, as the guards behind Aleta began charging up their guns.

"Woah Woah, easy now!" Quill put up his hands, taking a step forward as well so Rocket stood next to him. "I'm sure this is just a big misunderstanding."

The smirk on Aleta's face twitched downwards, her brows furrowing. She put her left hand up, and immediately the girls behind her put their guns down at their sides.

"I assure you, boy, it isn't." The ravager captain said, "I suppose it is understandable that your little…  _friend_ here has forgotten. The bounty was issued over seven Xandarian years ago, and because it wasn't a hit on anybody, it has yet to time out."

Peter raised his eyebrows, "Wait, so hypothetically, Rocket seven years ago put a bounty out for someone, but it  _didn't_ involve hurting them in someway?" He glanced down at the raccoon, who looked up at him equally confused. "How many units did he put out for this guy?"

"20,000 units."

"What?!" Rocket jumped, "20,000 flarken units…"  _C'mon Rocket, think! Was there a chance that seven years ago, you were drunk enough to pull some shit like this?_

And suddenly, he remembered. He wished he didn't, but he did. Seven years, four months, twelve days, and two hours ago; that was when Rocket, sobbing after weeks and  _weeks_ of searching to no avail, had given up. He had seen the explosion himself, and he knew there was no way she could escape that, no matter how quick and clever she was. Seven years, four months, twelve days, and two hours ago; that was when he stopped searching with hope, but for any remains he could burry. She deserved that much.

The raccoon immediately stilled, his eyes widening.  _No, they couldn't of have…_

Aleta smirk widened, as if she could tell he has remembered.

"Friend Rocket, are you alright?" Drax grumbled down at him with a frown. Peter looked down at his furry pal as well, surprised to see the usually strongwilled and stubborn raccoon shaking.

"Dude, are you oka-"

"You found…" Rocket interupted, again, taking a step towards Aleta. This time, the guards didn't raise their guns. She nodded, causing Rocket to let out a shakey, sad laugh.

"H-how?! I looked for weeks, months even!"

"You weren't looking in the right place."

Rocket paused, blinking the tears out of his eyes, "...Heh, yeah, of course I wasn't."

"Uh… what the hell are you guys talking about?" Peter asked, now even more confused than before.

Rocket turned around to face him, his bronze eyes filled with grief; an old wound freshly torn open. Peter's eyes widened at the sight.

"Dude, what's going on." He asked, yet to no avail.

Rocket just let out a soft sigh, pulling himself together, before pressing the button to the device hidden in his ear, ignoring Peter, "Kraglin, prepare the cooler for a body."

Kraglin, who was half asleep in the captain's chair, jerked awake at the word  _body_. "W-who the hell died?! Are y'all okay?!"

Rocket snorted, "Don't worry about it, just get it ready." He clicked off his coms, before turning back to Aleta.

"I'm guessing she's in your ship, unless you somehow fit her in your pocket?"

The Ravager leader chuckled at that, "Yes, my guards and I will go get her for you."

Aleta turned around, gestured for the guards to follow, before returning slowly to the ship. As soon as the leader was gone, everyone turned to face Rocket.

"Rocket, tell us what is happening."

"Yeah dude, what the hell do you mean by body?"

The raccoon was silent for a few moments, before letting out an annoyed sigh, "...fine. Seven years ago, somebody I used to know went missing. After searching for a long time, I never found them, which was to be expected, not many people can survive an entire building blowing up. Uh, it's kinda a blur, but I remember one night being extremely drunk, I… put a bounty out for anybody who could find their body. Cause at that point, I just wanted to give them a proper burial, y'know? They deserve some respect. I mean, I never expected anything to come out of it after I was sober, so I just left it, and totally forgot about the whole thing."

"So, you believe Aleta has found your friend's corpse?" Gamora asked.

"I mean, yeah. It's an easy 20,000 units. Just dig around in some rubble and hope you find a dead guy. Ain't exactly rocket science." Rocket's frowned. "And they weren't my friend."

"I mean, you offered 20,000 units for their dead body, that kinds sounds like a friend, or at least an acquaintance." Peter gave him a sheepish smile.

Rocket glared at him, before rolling his eyes, "It doesn't matter what we were, she's dead now, capiche?"

"What is this Capiche you speak of?" Drax asked, confused.

Quill groaned, rolling his eyes, "Drax, C'mon man-"

"They are coming back." Gamora said, causing Rocket to quickly turn back to look at the approaching figures.

"They bring a third person with them." Drax says, squinting.

"Maybe that's the person carrying her? She wasn't exactly big." Rocket frowned.

"...the third figure is quite small as well, and she appears to be walking fine." Gamora said, her eyes widening in suprise.

"What the hell are you talking about, Gam?" Rocket frowned, before focusing carefully on the figures.

He had expected to see a short women, perhaps a dwarf, carrying an even smaller box; that if which held what remained of his love.

What he didn't expect to see was-

" _Holy shit, it that a fucking otter?!"_

_..._

Well, Peter explained it better than Rocket could've.

 


	2. Rocky

When Rocket looked at Lylla, he felt a warmth flow over him, as if he was laying next to a fire. Than, doubt came, bringing questions to the raccoon; like  _ how the hell is she alive?! Or, why is this the first time I've seen her in over seven years?! Why didn't she try to find me? _

 

An emotion he knew almost too well finally filled Rocket,  _ anger;  _ but with how quickly it appeared, it was washed away; Yondu's words flying around in his head.

 

_ “I know you steal batteries you don’t need and you push away anyone who’s willing to put up with you, ‘cause just a little bit of love reminds you how big and empty that hole inside you actually is!” _

 

Rocket knew if he resorted to anger, frustration, whatever you want to call it; he could ruin this, he could ruin  _ her.  _

 

_ I don't want that.  _ He thought to himself.

This all happened in about four seconds, and the process left him with only one feeling; nausea. 

 

Aleta stopped walking, standing further back than before. She had only disappeared into their ship for only a few moments, which made Gamora believe this was an orchestrated and fully thought out plan. Behind Aleta stood a small creature, an  _ otter _ , as Peter called it. Gamora frowned as she took the small animal in. 

 

It, like Rocket, was bipedal, with a humanoid form. It was short, no more than three and a half feet, but it was clear the otter was a similar height to the raccoon, or even a few inches taller. It wore a similar jumpsuit as the Ravagers around her; a dark green in colour. The two other Ravagers stood beside the creature, flanking her. The otter wasn't in restraints, but it was clear she wasn't free to go. 

 

Gamora noticed that the guard's guns were no longer set to stun, but to kill. The revelation caused the zen-whoberian to grip the hilt of Godslayer tighter. The ravager captain noticed the movement, causing her to chuckle.

 

“I know the bounty was looking for the little one's corpse, but I was hesitant to kill her. She was very helpful-”

 

“LYLLA!” Rocket suddenly called out, as if his body had finally caught up to his racing mind. He took a few steps towards the group, his hand outstretched.

 

The creature, Lylla, looked up; searching for the noise with her swivelling ears. She could see a group of humanoids standing in front of her, but Aleta's figure, along with the dust storm that seemed to be brewing around them, made it hard to make out their faces. 

 

When Lylla was found by Aleta's clan, they refused to tell her any details about the bounty; which terrified the otter.  _ I know Rocky and I burnt the lab to the ground, but what if they survived. What if they want us back?  _ Lylla could barely handle the thought. It was only when the otter sniffed the air, did her eyes light up with joy.  _ It can't be… _

 

“Lylla!” He called out again, this time taking a couple strides towards her. Lylla tried to take a step forward as well, only to find one of the guard's hands laying on her shoulder; her touch was firm, but not painful. 

 

Unlucky for him, Aleta stood inbetween the pair; her face stone cold. She brought out her own gun, a similiar make to Starlord's, and aimed it at Rocket's head. 

 

“Woah! Easy now-” Quill began, arms out stretched. The sudden movement caused the guards to now aim their weapons at him. He luckily took the message, and stepped back.

 

Aleta looked down at the raccoon, her smirk gone, “Units first, reunion later.”

 

“But-”

 

She clicked off the safety, the gun audibly charging; the barrel beginning to glow a soft blue; “ _ Units first, reunion later.”  _ Aleta repeated, gaze deadly.

 

Rocket glared at her, letting out an impatient huff, 

 

“ _ Fine _ .” He lifted his left arm, his attention immediately going to the small screen attached to the band on his wrist. He quickly made the transaction, and with a sigh, he let his arm fall to his side.

 

“There, you're now 20,000 units richer. Happy?”

 

The Krylorian ravager took her hand off Lylla's shoulder, now bringing out a small device from her utility belt. Her pink eyes looked over a screen, before she nodded. 

 

“It's all here.”

 

“Good.” Aleta smiled, putting her gun back into her holster. “Glad to do buisness with you.”

 

“Fuck off.” 

 

She snorted, before turning on her heels. Aleta looked down at Lylla, who met the ravager's gaze with a dazed expression. “If she wasn't worth 20 thousand, I'd keep her. So take care of her, will ya?”

 

“Uh, sure, I guess?” Peter frowned, glancing back at Drax, who looked just as confused.

 

Aleta nodded, looking at her guards, “Let her go.”

 

The Easik and Krylorian women let their guns drop, before taking a few steps away from Lylla. The ravager captain glanced back at them, a smirk on her face.

 

“Farewell Guardians.” She said with a shiteating grin, before following her guards back to the ship.

 

Lylla was gently swaying on her feet, her face showing signs of exhaustion. Rocket quickly walked over, his mind uncharacteristically quiet as he took the situation in. Rocket was hesitant to touch her, as it had been so long since they had last seen eachother; not to mention the situation they were in the last time they spoke.

 

“ _ R-Rocket _ ?” Lylla whispered, taking a few steps forward, clearly weak. She stumbled in the loose sand, her eyes closing as she began to tumble to the ground. Rocket nearly jumped out of his fur as he made a bound towards her, successfully catching her before she hit the sandy ground.

 

“Lylla!” He called out, his voice edged with fear. He held her under her arms, before gently lowering her to the ground; kneeling beside her.

 

The other Guardians raced over, but paused a few feet away from the pair, not wanting to overwhelm them.

 

“What happened?” Gamora asked.

 

“Is the small creature dead?” Drax asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. Afterall, he  _ was _ promised a dead body.

 

“She's not dead! She just fainted… right?” Peter said hesitantly.

 

Rocket checked over her face, an angry growl beginning to emit deep from his chest, “Y-yeah, just passed out. It looks like she hasn't drank in awhile, or ate for that matter.”

 

“They didn't feed her?” Quill frowned. “That's rude.”

 

“You’re telling me.” Rocket huffed, “We need to take her back to the ship, get some fluids in her.”

 

“Alright,” Peter nodded in agreement, “But after she is stable or whatever, I want a full story, okay? No more hiding shit.”

 

“Whatever Starmunch.” Rocket rolled his eyes, before looking down at Lylla. He let out a soft sigh, before wrapping his arms around her torso, and lifting her up. The raccoon let out a grunt, adjusting her so she laid in his arms bridal style.

 

“Do you need help-”

 

“It's fine. I carry guns bigger than her.” Rocket grumbled, before slowly beginning to walk back to the ship. Peter and Gamora shared a glance, a mix of worry and suspicion on their face, before following him; Drax not far behind.

 

“Let's get off this hunk of rock.”

 

It seemed like Aleta agreed, because as soon as the Ravagers made it back to their own ship, it began to lift off the ground. 

 

***

 

“So. You ready to tell us what the hell is happening?” Peter asked, leaning against the medbay's doorway.

 

Rocket's eyes didn't leave the small bomb he was making, “Do I have to?”

 

“That was the deal.” Gamora said, walking over to the bed Rocket was working on, before sitting down beside him.

 

He glanced up at her, before looking at Lylla. She laid on the bed across from his, hooked up to an IV that hanged from the wall.

 

A couple hours earlier, he had carried her to the medbay, and hadn't left her side since. Groot brought him a couple tools from Rocket's room that he had asked for, and the raccoon began to work quietly on the bed across from the otter's.

 

The others had left him alone for the most part, other than Kraglin, who was confused about the whole ordeal.

 

“I thought you said to get the cooler ready for a body?” The Xandarian questioned. 

 

“Yeah, well, turns out she isn't as dead as we thought.” Peter sighed.

 

Rocket hated the medbay. The lack of smell in the room immediately set off alarms in his head, alongside the drawers and drawers of scalpels and other medical tools. However, the quiet of the room was nice, especially after everything that had transpired in the last couple hours. Rocket would never admit it to Quill, but he liked his music, he really did. Although, at times like this, all the raccoon wanted was silence. He needed to think.

 

Not to mention Lylla, who was still sleeping, would probably find the medbay just as uncomfortable as he did. Rocket didn't want her to be alone when she woke up.

 

“C'mon dude, the least you could do is at least be honest with us.” Peter sighed, taking a couple more steps into the room.

 

Rocket rolled his eyes, before sighing with a slouch, all fight out of his system, “...I can't promise I can tell you everything, but go ahead, ask your stupid questions.”

 

“Okay, uh… how did you two meet?”

 

Both Gamora and Rocket turned to look at Peter, their faces surprisingly similiar.

 

“Seriously? I figured even a dumbass like you could figure it out, Quill.” Rocket shaked his head in disbelief. “We were created in the same lab, happy?”

 

“Fine, if you don't like my questions,

why don't you ask something?” The Terran looked at Gamora 

 

She paused, before turning her gaze to Lylla, “Why did you believe she was dead? What happened?”

 

Rocket flinched, as if he had expected the question to come, “Well, uh, it's a long story.”

 

“We've got time.”

 

He sighed, “...It all started when we got arrested. I mean, for the sixth time, that is.”

 

***

 

_ A sound of an explosion behind them brought a wicked grin to Rocket's face. _

 

_ “Holy shit, it worked!” He laughed gleefully, somehow keeping the pace even with the large firearm in his hands. The raccoon continued to look back behind him, his laugh continuing at the sight of the passed out guards. _

 

_ “Wait, are you telling me you didn't think it would?!” Lylla questioned him, her eyes widening as she ran beside him. _

 

_ “To be fair, there's always a chance a flash grenade won't work when it's made out of a mechanical eye, a broken alarm clock, and a zipper.” _

 

_ “Our whole plan depended on that bomb working! What if it didn't-” _

 

_ They turned a corner, coming face to face with two heavily armed guards. Rocket snarled, aiming his weapon and firing, a large grin on his face. Lylla leapt behind him, grabbing a piece of sheet metal from the floor and holding it up in front of them; creating an odd looking sheild. _

 

_ It did the trick however, and the two guards were down in seconds.  _

 

_ “My plans always work out, name one that hasn't!” Rocket continued, feeling slightly out of breath as he looked at the dead xandarians at their feet. _

 

_ Lylla rolled her eyes, and began to run once more, the raccoon on her tail, “Okay, how about when you tried to scam Vorlex, or the prison in the Grendon system? Oh! And don't forget the time you tried to steal a Kree ship. What was that guy’s name again-” _

 

_ “DUCK!” _

 

_ “Duck? I don't think-” The otter let out a squeal as Rocket suddenly tackled her to the floor; a large portion of the ceiling falling to where they were a few seconds prior. They looked back at it, before meeting eachother's gaze. _

 

_ “Okay, maybe my success rate isn't actually 100%.” He panted. “But it's pretty damn good.” _

 

_ “The prison is falling apart around us,” She shakily got to her feet, pulling him up as well, “If you can manage to get us out of here alive, I'll happily admit that your plans are _ 'pretty damn good.’ _ ” _

 

_ “Deal.” He snickered, retrieving his gun from the floor, and putting it on his back. “Good thing this rust bucket isn't a space prison, otherwise we could kiss our tails goodbye.” _

 

_ “That's not making me feel better.” _

 

_ He snorted, “I got an idea, but it's requires running through the main cell hall.” _

 

_ “That place is going to be swarming with guards!” _

 

_ “Yeah, well, good thing we're small.” He turned away beginning to jog down the hall once more, “We'll blend into the riot just fine.” _

 

_ “Riot?!” _

 

_ They managed to get to the cell hall without a scratch, which Lylla was thankful for. They were going to need everything they got to get through this mess. _

 

_ And what a mess it was. The cell block was large, but even then, it was filled to the brim with prisoners and guards fighting it out. The second floor wasn't much better, and every few seconds some poor person would be thrown over the edge of the walkways, falling to their demise. _

 

_ Lylla gritted her teeth, “We're going to die.” _

 

_ Rocket noticed the edge in her tone, and turned around to face her. They stood in a side doorway to the cell block, which was luckily empty. _

 

_ “We're going to be okay, Lylla. I promise.” _

 

_ “A-are you looking at the same thing I am? Those guys could kill us just by stepping on our heads!” _

 

_ “Yeah, well, unlucky for them, were a couple of badasses. We'll be-” _

 

_ “Rocket,” She said sternly, grabbing his forearm with her hands, her voice shaking, “I'm scared.” _

 

_ Rocket's playful smile fell as he inspected her face. She was serious. Dead serious. He let out a soft breath, meeting her gaze.  _

 

She's way braver than me. I don't think I'd ever be able to admit that, to tell her how frightening this is.  _ Rocket thought to himself, pulling his arm away from her, before gripping her hands tightly with his own. _

 

_ “Lylla, I'd never let anything happen to you. If I didn't think we could do this, I wouldn't of put us in this position in the first place. I promise you, we can handle this, alright? I'm not letting go of my girl so easily.” _

 

_ She looked at him, her frown turning into a soft smile. “O-okay, I… I trust you.” _

 

_ He smiled back, squeezing her hands, “Don't let go of me, okay? I'll lead us out of here, no problem.” _

 

_ “You better.” _

 

_ He snorted, before quickly sliding his gun off his back. Rocket turned back to face the doorway, cocking the weapon. _

 

_ “Grab onto my back.” _

 

_ Lylla did so, her fingers digging into the fabric of the prison garments he wore.  _

 

_ “Let's go.” _

 

_ The pair quickly began to make their way through the hall, dodging runaway shoes and tentacles. They stayed against the far wall, keeping out of the worst of the commotion.  _

 

_ Lylla kept her eyes on the cells to her left as they continued to run, trying to ignore the cries of anger and pain that was coming from the riot. She tightened her grasp on Rocket's prison shirt, but he didn't seem to mind; all of his attention on the battle to their right. _

 

_ “It's okay, lady…” He mumbled to her softly, his brows furrowed in concentration as he looked for danger. _

 

_ The cells became a blur as they quickened their pace, the occupants in which they held almost becoming impossible to see. _

 

_ Almost. _

 

_ The familiar shadow of two long ears caused Lylla's eyes to widen; the glow of two bright red lights in the darkness making her gasp. However, as soon as she understood what she saw, the cell was far behind them. _

 

_ “R-Rocket! It was Blackjack!” _

 

_ Rocket frowned, glancing back at her, “Who the hell is that?” _

 

_ “Subject 89P23! Don't you remember?” She yelled over the crowd, hoping he heard her. _

 

_ “Wait, the freak that got his eyes ripped out? I thought he died when we burned the lab to the ground.” _

 

_ “N-no, he got out, goes by Blackjack now. I was in communication with him, but he stopped replying about a year ago. This must be why! He's here!” _

 

_ “That's great and all, but the door is right there!” _

 

_ “Rocket, we have to go back-”  _

 

_ “Shh!” He suddenly hissed, causing the otter to frown and stop talking. Rocket looked at the door, which led to the guarding office; it was usually locked. _

 

_ Not anymore. _

 

_ The door was ajar, with drips of blood leading a trail into the room. Rocket sniffed the air, his ears falling back. _

 

_ “Xandarian…” He mumbled. _

 

_ “ _ Shit! It's worse than I thought _.” A male voice suddenly grumbled from the room, immediately causing Rocket and Lylla to stop in their tracks. _

 

_ “ _ I-it's fine, I can walk _ ,” A soft female voice replied, their tone filled with pain, “ _ We need to get to the escape pods before this plays blows _.” _

 

_ “Escape pods, eh?” Rocket grinned to himself, taking a few steps towards the entrance. _

 

_ “ _ How much time do you give it _.” The male voice asked with a grunt. _

 

_ The female didn't answer right away, as if she was checking something, “... _ Ten minutes _.” _

 

_ “ _ Shit! Here, let me help you up _.”  _

 

_ “Oh, that won't be necessary.” Rocket grinned, walking into the guarding office with a grin. The two guards, one clearly female while the other male, looked down at them with a surprised expression. The male was holding the female by her shoulders, as she was clearly injured. Luckily for Rocket and Lylla, it made it nearly impossible for either of them to grab their guns from their belt. The raccoon grinned. _

 

_ “So, you gonna tell us where those escape pods are or what?” He pointed his large gun up at their faces. _

 

_ With only five minutes left to spare till the prison went up in flames, Rocket climbed into the escape pod, quickly inputting their coordinates to their own ship. _

 

_ “Ha! Told you I'd get us through it,” He snickered, his eyes on the screen, “Guess you have to admit my plans are-” _

 

_ “Rocket, we have to go back.” _

 

_ He blinked, turning around in his chair to look at her. Lylla looked surprisingly determined. _

 

_ “What?! Why?” _

 

_ “We can't just leave Blackjack there to die!” _

 

_ “Uh, yes we can!” Rocket jumped off the small seat in front of the escape pod's controls, walking over to where Lylla stood. She hadn't yet walked into the ship yet, which concerned him. _

 

_ “Well, maybe you can, but I can't!” She glared at him, taking a few steps back, “I'm going back for him, if you follow me or not.” _

 

_ “Lylla, right now isn't the times for heroics. This place is gonna blow in three minutes! You won't make it.” _

 

_ She ignored him, reaching over to the gun he had dropped to the ground and picking it up, “I'll go back and get Blackjack, pick up an escape pod, and meet you at the southern dock, y'know the one?” _

 

Of course I do.  _ He thought to himself.  _ That's where our ship is parked.  _ Rocket gritted his teeth. _

 

_ “Lylla, I'm not gonna let you do this.” _

 

_ “This isn't your choice, Rocket.” _

 

_ “W-why does this guy even matter to you?! He's-” _

 

_ “-just like us.” She finished for him, “Blackjack deserves a happy ending.” _

 

_ “Happy endings don't exist!” _

 

_ Lylla paused, her angry expression turning melancholy, “No. I guess they don't.” She let out a sigh, before turning her back to him, “I'll see you at the docks.”  _

 

_ The otter swallowed the lump in her throat, before quickly making her way back to the cell block; Rocket's pained gaze on her for as long as he could see her. _

 

_ “F-fine! If you want to get yourself killed, why should I care?!” Rocket yelled out, walking back into the escape pod and closing the hatch. _

 

_ “I-I don't care.” He repeated to himself as he started up the pod. _

 

_ “I-” _

 

_ The ship was released from its dock. _

 

_ “DON'T-” _

 

_ Rocket flew the pod away from the building. _

 

_ “CARE!” _

 

_ He cared a lot. _

 

_ Especially when the building crumbled in on itself, falling into a pile of rubble. _

 

_ Especially when she never showed up at the docks. _

 

_ Especially when he never saw Lylla again. _

 

***

 

“Shit dude,” Peter frowned, sighing, before plopping down on the bed beside him. Quill, along with Gamora and Rocket's weight, almost caused the cot to break. “Do you think she'll be angry with you?”

 

Rocket shrugged, “I mean, I wouldn't exactly blame her. I've been told I'm a dick.”

 

“That's an understatement.” Gamora muttered, causing Peter to snicker.

 

Rocket only rolled his eyes, sighing, before going back to his work, “Yeah, well, there's my sob story. Was it as entertaining as it was depressing?”

 

“I’d rate it eight outta ten. Needed more romance.” 

 

“I swear to god, Quill-”

 

“ _ Rocky…” _

 

All three of their heads immediately shot up to stare at Lylla.

 

“Did she just-”

 

“-call you Rocky?” Peter grinned, “Hell yeah she did. And in her sleep no less? There's the romance I was looking for!”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope having a longer second chapter makes up for the first chapter being short!
> 
> If you enjoyed, please leave a kudos and a review. They motivate me to keep on writing! Thank you reading. See ya! :)


	3. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically just filler and fluff. Enjoy!

After Lylla had muttered that godawful nickname, Rocket quickly shooed Gamora and Peter out of the medbay; muttering excuses as to why they had to leave under his breath.

 

Quill said goodbye in a singsong voice, before practically skipping to the cockpit. The terran was thrilled to say the least; the reasoning why a mix between new teasing material, and pure joy at seeing Rocket so hopeful about something.  _ Lylla, or whatever her name is, better not have a stick up her ass. _

 

Gamora followed silently, curious how this will all playout.

 

The pair was left alone in the medbay for the rest of the evening; the raccoon not even emerging to eat. Mantis left a small plate outside of the room from him, which was promptly taken inside as soon as she left. 

 

Lylla was still asleep, but her vitals looked good, so Rocket decided not to worry about her long slumber. What he couldn't help though, was the stew of emotions finally beginning to brew inside of him. It was a weird feeling, a mix of excitement and fear with a hint of impatience.

 

_ C'mon, wake up already! _ Rocket kept on finding himself thinking as he worked on his bomb, continuing to glance up at her every now and again.  _ Well actually, if you're mad at me, then you can take your time. I don't think I'm ready to deal with  _ that  _ just yet.  _

 

His eyes lifted from the device he was mindlessly working on once more, his gaze focusing on her sleeping face. Lylla's nose wrinkled in her sleep, causing the raccoon to wonder what she was dreaming about. Rocket sighed.  _ If she's mad at me, I don't even know what I'll do! Yell back? Tell her ‘I told you so!’ Apologize?  _ He cursed, letting his tools fall from his hands and onto the bed. 

 

“Dammit…”  _ C'mon Rocket, you're a genius. Figure it out! _

 

A sudden sharp intake of air brought Rocket out of his thoughts; the sound immediately making his fur stand up straight. Before he had even registered what was happening, he had hopped off the bed and crossed the small space in between their cots; now standing beside Lylla's.

 

The otter's eyes were open, but cloudy; clearly still dazed from her long slumber. She groaned, bringing her arms shakily from under the covers, to rest on the thin medical blanket they previously laid under. 

 

“Lylla?” Rocket whispered, hesitant to touch her while she was still dazed.

 

Her ears twitched at his voice, nose wrinkling as she smelled the air. Lylla sat up in her bed much to Rocket's surprise, and leaned against the back wall. She blinked her eyes a couple times to clear them, before slowly opening them.

 

“Ugh… what the hell happe….” Her voice died off at the sight of the medical devices around her; the IV attached to her furry arm, and a x-ray hanging over top of her from the ceiling. Lylla's eyes widened, and her ears immediately fell back against her head.

 

“ _ No no no! _ ” She stuttered, kicking the blanket off of the cot before pressing her back against the cool steel wall of the ship; her chest rising and falling at an extremely pace.

 

“Lylla, it's okay!”

 

“N-N- _ Not again-” _

 

“ _ -Lylla, it's me! It's Rocket. _ ” He blurted out, his hands reaching out to grab her forearm.

 

She quickly turned to look at him, the panicked look in her eyes turning into confusion. The otter was silent for a few moments, clearly trying to catch her breath. 

 

“...W-what? Rocket? W-W-Why are you here?”

 

“Don't ‘cha remember?” The raccoon asked, his brows furrowed in concern.  _ I mean, I guess it would make sense if she didn't remember the thing with the Ravagers, she was pretty out of it.  _

 

She paused, still panting heavily from her panic attack, “Uh, I-I-I don't...” Lylla's voice trailed off, her grip on the wall behind her slowly loosening. As if something in her brain suddenly turned on, her eyes widened and she turned to meet his worried gaze once more. 

 

“ROCKET!” Lylla yelped, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, bringing him into a tight hug. Rocket yelped, nearly falling onto the bed because of the swift motion. He fought the animalistic urge to snap at her and growl, instead becoming frozen in her grasp. The otter buried her muzzle into his shoulder, a wide grin on her face.

 

“It's you! It's really you!” She mumbled gleefully into his fur. “This has to be a dream, o-or a nightmare, or  _ something _ !’ Lylla pulled away, immediately inspecting him in a slightly crazed manner, “You haven't changed a bit! I mean, other than the jumpsuit.”

 

“I could say the same to you.” Rocket managed to choke out, his body still on lockdown from the hug. “Green looks nice on 'ya.”

 

Lylla laughed, glancing down the ravager jumpsuit she wore, before looking at his rose coloured suit, “Well, you always did say your favorite colour was pink. Although, I'm starting to think you only said that 'cause that's what I liked.”

 

Rocket chuckled, nodding in agreement, his words uncharacteristically failing him.  _ Why the hell isn't she mad a me? Why the hell am I not mad at her?!  _

 

They fell into an awkward silence, not that Lylla noticed. She looked at the medbay around them, her nose wrinkling at the odd smell of the place, “Where are we exactly?”

 

“I could hardly call it a ship, it's more of a rust bucket,” He snorted, “Called the Quadrant, was part of a bigger cooler Ravager ship named the Excelor.”

 

“Oh,” She glanced at the IV in her arm, her ears immediately falling back, “And I'm guessing were in the medical room of said ship?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“And why am I in here? I'm not sick.”

 

“You fainted after Aleta and her gang left. Dehydration, malnutrition, the whole deal.”

 

Lylla sighed with a nod, “Yes, I suppose that's what happens when you don't get food or water for a little while.”

 

“How long is a little while?”

 

Lylla shrugged, “I didn't count. Maybe a week or two? It's not that big of a deal Rocky, takes a lot more than that to kill me.”

 

Rocket rolled his eyes, “Yeah, speaking of which, how the hell did you make it out of-”

 

“Let's not talk about that now, okay? Why don't we go meet your friends.” Lylla pleaded, before ripping the IV out with a growl, and throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

 

Rocket frowned, “How do you know anybody else is here?”

 

It was now Lylla's turn to roll her eyes; and she tapped her nose with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Oh, right.” He sighed, “Yeah, we can go and check to see if anybody else is up. Although, we gotta talk about it sooner or later, alright?”

 

The otter jumped off her bed, letting out a soft groan as she wobbled on her feet. Rocket reached out to help her stand, but she put her hand out to stop him; her gaze determined.

 

**“** Yeah yeah, sure, whatever.” She muttered, focusing on not falling over. Rocket let out a soft huff.  _ I'll take what I can get I guess. _

 

After a few moments of silence, other than the otter's concentrated grunts, Lylla nodded.

 

“Okay, lets go.”

  
  


***

 

Rocket was surprised to see everybody up and gathered in the rec room; even Kraglin, who practically lived in the cockpit.

 

He was even more surprised to find they were having a meeting about  _ him. _

 

“Peter, all we are saying is how do we know for sure she is an alley?” Gamora asked. “This otter, or whatever you called it, could be angry about the past. Who knows how she will react when she wakes?”

 

“Rocket's story made her sound like a good-”

 

“Seven years can change a person.” Gamora continued. “We should stay wary, that's all I ask.” 

 

“I am Groot.”

 

Peter turned to look at the adolescent, a frown on his face. Despite being able to understand a few words of Groot speak, he didn't quite understand him fully yet.

 

“Sorry bud, all I got outta that was  _ something something door. _ ”

 

“He said  _ Rocket is at the doorway _ .” The raccoon translated for the tree, Lylla standing at his side.

 

Quill cursed, jumping at Rocket's sudden input, before slowly turning to face the pair. The Terran's eyes widened at the sight of the otter beside him. “Oh, uh, hey guys,” He cleared his throat awkwardly, “Um, we didn't see you there.”

 

“I did.” Drax interjected smugly. “I just did not say anything.”

 

“Dude…” Peter sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

 

“So, you're what's all the fuss is about, eh?” Kraglin suddenly asked, walking a couple steps forward towards the otter. “'Names Kraglin, what's yours?”

 

“Lylla.” 

 

“Pretty name.”

 

“Thanks, Kraglin ain't bad either,” She smiles politely, her paws clasped together behind her back.

 

“I am Groot.” The teen muttered, causing Rocket to snicker. It was clearly a snarky remark, one that none of the Guardians could yet understand.

 

Lylla jumped, turning to face where the voice came from. At the sight of the tree, her green eyes widened. Groot glanced up, his wooden brow furrowing at the sight of the otter's intense gaze.

 

“Woah! You're a Flora Colossus, aren't you? I thought you guys were extinct!” She grinned, immediately taking a few eager steps towards him. Groot glanced around at the others, clearly confused at the whole situation.

 

“I am Groot?”

 

“Yes, you have to be a Flora Colossus! Their language is difficult to learn, and takes awhile to pick up.” She takes another step forward, until she's looking up brightly at the tree, only a foot away. “You're even more beautiful up close.”

 

Clearly flustered, the teenager huffed and turned his attention back to his games; although, every few seconds, he would glance away from his screen and back at her.

 

Peter cleared his throat again, “I'm Peter Quill, most people call me Starlord-”

 

“-Nobody does.” Rocket interrupted, causing the Terran to groan. 

 

Starting again, Peter crossed his arms over his chest, “ _ As I was saying _ , my name is Peter Quill, and I am the leader of this group of losers.”

 

Gamora rolled her eyes, yet remained silent.

 

“And you're a Terran, right?” Lylla pointed at him. Peter nodded.

 

“Half Terran, but yeah, we don't talk about the other part.”

 

The otter nodded, as if she already knew this, before continuing, “Y'know, I'm a Terran too!” Everyone fell silent, many of them raising an eyebrow as they looked at her. She sighed, before continuing, “Well, I mean,  _ not technically _ . But, I  _ am _ from Terra.”

 

Peter's expression lit up, “Wait a second, you  _ know  _ that you're an-”

 

“-otter? I mean, my species is actually an  _ Aonyx cinereus _ , but yes, I know.”

 

Quill's jaw dropped in shock, before a large grin spread across his face, “Holy shit, this is a first. I mean, how did you even found out?”

 

She shrugs, before walking away from Groot, going back to her position beside Rocket, “Mostly research. The hypernet helped. I've always been interested in learning about this type of stuff.”

 

“Wait wait wait...,” He points at Rocket, a mischievous smirk on his face, “What’s his species?”

 

“You don't have to answer that, Lylla.” Rocket interupts her thoughts, rolling his eyes. Lylla snickered, but kept silent for his sake. Peter pouted, but quickly got over himself; a content smile making its way back over his face.

 

“Are you Rocket's friend?” Mantis asks, causing the otter to jump; she had failed to even notice the empath.

 

Rocket opened his mouth to answer for her, “N-”

 

“Yep.” Lylla smiles, seemingly not noticing the raccoon's denial. Mantis gave her a slightly awkward smile, clearly happy.

 

“I am glad!” She says excitedly. “It is good to have friends.”

 

“I thought the creature was Rocket's sister?” Drax asked, clearly confused.

 

“What? When did we ever establish that?” Peter frowned, turning to face the other man.

 

“I had figured since their origin is much like Gamora and Nebula's, that they too would be siblings.”

 

“Yeah, were definitely  _ not _ siblings. That'd be…,” Lylla turned to face Rocket, who was looking away, his lip rising slightly to show his sharp canines. “Wrong.”

 

“What, did you two fuck or somethin?” Kraglin suddenly asked nonchalantly.

 

“WHAT?!” Rocket jumped at the sudden accusation, feeling suddenly too hot under his fur. 

 

“Dude, c'mon, where did that even come from?” Peter sighed, shaking his head at Kraglin, before turning to face the raccoon. “But I mean…  _ did you?” _

 

“That's enough.” Gamora glared at the two men, causing them to grimace awkwardly. She turned back to face Lylla. “It is getting late.”

 

“How can space be late?” Drax asked, confused.

 

“We keep an Xandarian clock in the cockpit, we go off on that.” Peter explained to him, probably for the fifteenth time. “It's almost twelve am.”

 

“I'm not really tired,” Lylla smiled politely, “Figuring I just slept away most of the day already.”

 

“I will show you to the room you will be using anyway,” Gamora turned to look at Quill, “Rocket and Peter need to discuss something.”

 

“Wait...discuss wha- ow!” Peter was interrupted by Gamora's elbow. “Oh, uh, right.”

 

Rocket rolled his eyes, “Fine.”

 

Gamora nodded, before looking down at the otter, “Let's go then.”

 

The group dissipated as everybody went to bed, leaving Rocket and Quill alone.

 

“What is it, Dicklord?”

 

“...is that a compliment or-”

 

“What were you guys talking about before Ly and I came in here?” 

 

“I'm about to get to that, ok?” He huffed. “Look, Gamora is just a bit… concerned about Lylla.”

 

“What the hell does that mean?!” Rocket glared up at him, his paws itching to point his hydron blaster at the Terran's face.

 

“Just think about it. How do we know she isn't still pissed off about what happened seven years ago?”

 

“She isn't. I've known her for my whole life, Lylla ain't one to hold a grudge.”

 

“People change, for better or for worse. Do you really wanna take that chance? I mean, what is stopping her from castrating you in the middle of the night?!”  _ From personal experience, trust me when I say that isn't fun. _

 

Rocket continued to glare at Peter, but it was clear he was thinking deeply about what his fellow Guardian had said.

 

“Look,” Quill continued, “Just talk to her about it, okay? Maybe then we can think about letting her join.”

 

Rocket hesitated, confused, “...Talk about her castrating me?”

 

“What! No, talk about what happened back then, clear the air!” The Terran groaned, shaking his head in disbelief.

 

The raccoon rolled his eyes with a sigh, nodding, “Fine, I'll chat with her about it  _ tomorrow _ . I'm tired from playing nurse all day.”

 

Peter gave him a sympathetic smile, “Yeah, I can tell, you got some crazy dark circles.”

 

Rocket glared at him, before rolling his eyes with a huff. The Terran snickered, placing his hands on his hips. He knew that was the closest thing to a laugh he could get out of his friend at the moment, so he was pleased.

 

“Anyway, sleep tight Rocket.”

 

“Yeah yeah, go flark yourself Quill.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I really wanted to get this chapter out before I leave for a trip I'm going on, which I did! So yay! Between other fandoms I'm in starting to ramp up thanks to new content, and me being a cry baby about Endgame, I'm not exactly sure when I'll upload next. I guess it sorta depends if something terrible happens to Rocket in Endgame, cause I swear to god if he dies, even looking at this fanfic will make me sad! After Infinity War, I had to leave the Marvel fandom for awhile because the thought of my favorite rag team group being dusted was awful! I probably would've been grieving for daaaayyys if Rocket got dusted; but lucky for us, he didn't!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review/comment if you liked it. They really do keep me going, and honestly, the reviews I got for the first few chapters is the only reason I'm posting now!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Endgame was awesome, and actually made me inspired to write. Rocket was adorable in it lol
> 
> I'm actually thinking of doing a rewrite after I'm finished with this fic, where Lylla is present for both IW and Endgame. Let me know in the comments/reviews if you'd be interested in that!
> 
> Speaking of Lylla, did any of you guys see the rumors about her showing up in Vol3 as Rocket's love interest?! I'm freaking out!
> 
> Anyway, hope y'all enjoy

 

Lylla would often find herself falling into deep thought when she had nothing better to do. The otter would be thinking about what she would eat for Lunch, and a few minutes later, it would be three am. Of course, this trait was only accelerated by the situation she had gotten herself into. She found herself falling deeper and deeper into her own mind each day; with her thoughts straying towards darker subjects than usual.

 

Lylla liked to think she was pretty optimistic person; always looking on the bright side of dire situations (and when you travel across the Galaxy with a person like Rocky, you tend to get into those a lot.) However, being kidnapped by Aleta's clan was a bit too much for the otter. It wasn't being knocked out with a stun gun that was, of course, twice her side that did it; or even being locked in a cell for over two weeks with nothing to eat or drink. It was the inescapable fear of _them_ that made her chest rise and fall at a quickened pace. Those people that were sadistic enough to look at a creature like her and feel inspiration to do something _so_ horrible, so fearful. Lylla couldn't remember much of her life before being Uplifted, but from the small moments she _could_ remember, she knew it was beautiful. The images of the den she shared with her mother and siblings, the twinkling of a lazy river; and the feeling of warm water on her fur as she glided along the surface. Everytime she thought of said memories, an aching feeling would run through her gut. She wanted to call the feeling homesickness, but she knew it wasn't the right word. _Afterall, you can't miss what you can't remember._

 

When the Ravagers got a hold of Lylla, yelling at her about some sort of _bounty_ ; she grew panicked. As far as she knew, she hadn't been doing anything wrong. Logically, there was no reason for her to have a bounty on her head… well, other than one. The scientists that made her might still be searching for their little lab rat. The thought itself made her feel nauseated, even though at the time she had nothing in her stomach to throw up.

 

So when she got dragged off that ship, away from her captors, (and low-key friends at this point. She was actually starting to like Aleta and her crew,) Lylla was ready for a fight.

 

What she didn't expect however, was the Guardians of the freaking Galaxy.

 

***

 

Lylla jumped at the sudden sounds echoing down the ship's corridor; that of which were now echoing into the small guest room she sat in. She recognized the melody of Terran music, and a small smile came to her face. When she was researching into her own history, she had managed to stumble over the Terran's as well. They had some funny traditions, but their music was good. At least, she thought it was better than the stuff they played where she came from.

 

Good or not, the music certainly helped her wake her up from her daydream.

 

_Is it morning already? I guess I really wasn't lying when I said I didn't feel like sleeping._

 

Lylla stood up, letting out a soft yawn, before arching her back to crack it. It hurt, but the otter found she had to do it each morning or her cybernetically enforced spine would creak all day. It was annoying to say the least.

 

The music became significantly louder when she opened her door, causing her ears to fall back against her head. A faint murmur of voices was coming down the hall; the same one the Zen-Whoberian, Gamora, has led her down the night before. Lylla adjusted her jade Ravager suit (which only reminded the otter she _really_ needed a new one,) before walking down towards the noise.

 

When she entered the room from last night, which she guessed was the main communal room, the sudden scent of burnt food wafted under her muzzle. She wrinkled her round black nose, letting out a soft cough, before slowly continuing into the room; now covering her face with her furry elbow.

 

Luckily, since the area was much larger than the other rooms on the ship, the smoke was spread out across the space. A circular table stood in the middle of the room, while the walls were bare; save for the various pipes and other mechanical parts that protruded from the ship. The table was set with cream coloured dishes, most of which were severely scratched and chipped.

 

 _These look just like the plates the guards on Aleta's ship would give me for my sparse dinner. These a little more dirty, but definitely the same colour._ Lylla climbed up on a chair to inspect the set table, her paw ghosting over the rusted silverware. _I suppose that makes sense. This is a Ravager ship afterall._

 

“Shit!”

 

Lylla quickly jumped off the table, her eyes searching the room for the source of the noise. Across the hallway from where she walked in, was another doorway. Not only was it the clear source of the curse, but also the smoke.

 

_Sounds like that Terran guy from yesterday._

 

The otter frowned, before quickly making her way over to the doorway and stepping in; her elbow still planted firmly over her nose

 

This room was clearly the kitchen, which Lylla had guessed already thanks to the smell. It was small, with the same dark grated floor and bumpy walls as the rest of the ship. The counters and shelves were a light copper, and they would've been pretty if it weren't for the various burn and knife marks. However, the area was surprisingly clean, much to Lylla's delight; that of which could not be said for the rest of the ship.

 

The Terran stood in front of the stove, cursing quietly to himself as he tried to scrape what appeared to be an egg off a pan. Smoke steadily rose from his cooking, which caused Lylla's eyes to water.

 

Peter, who's name she had just remembered, groaned in frustration; before taking the pan and dropping it into the sink. He quickly poured water on it, which quickly made the smoke stop.

 

 _That's one small victory_. Lylla thought, slowly removing her hand from her face. It still smelled disgusting, but at least the source of said smell was dealt with.

 

Quill leaned his hands on the counter, letting out an annoyed sigh. She watched in amusement, taking another step into the room.

 

At the noise of her claws against the grated floor, Peter hung his head and shook it softly, an annoyed chuckle leaving his lips, “Before you even start, Rocket. I'd like to say I _doubt_ you could do better.”

 

“Trust me when I say he couldn't. Cooking was never his forte”

 

The Terran jumped, quickly turning so his back was to the counter; his blue eyes blown wide.

 

“Oh, it's you.”

 

“What helped you figure that out?” She crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her head to the side in amusement.

 

Peter snickered, “You are definitely _not_ a grumpy raccoon and, well, your voice. I mean, I'd be kinda worried if Rocket suddenly sounded like… _that._ ” He gestured to her.

 

Lylla snorted, a small smile making its way to her face. _This guy is ridiculous._

 

“Um, let me try this again.” Peter decided with a nod. “Good Morning, Lily-”

 

“It’s Lylla-”

 

“That's...what I said.” Flustered, he cleared his throat. “Good morning, _Lylla._ I was just making some breakfast for you. Or, uh, trying to.”

 

The otter's eyes widened, and her arms that she had crossed over her chest slowly unraveled, “Seriously?”

 

“Yeah, is that bad?”

 

“Oh, no. It's just… do you make breakfast for every random girl you pick up?” She asked sincerely, touched at the gesture.

 

Peter snorted, “Well, I used to, but Gamora would _kill_ me if I started doing that again.” He shrugged, a smirk on his face. “Although, I will say I don't _usually_ burn everything I touch. Just not used to this ship, or its oven.”

 

Lylla paused, nodding, before looking back up at him, “Then what makes me different?”

 

“Well, Rocket said you'd be hungry after everything that happened yesterday,” He turned back to the sink, slowly removing the pan, “And I wanted to make a good first impression.”

 

“Why?”

 

“It’s good to have friends all over the place. Not to mention the plethora of embarrassing stories you probably have about the angry furball.”

 

“So you're doing this to blackmail Rocket?” She raised a brow.

 

“No! No, of course not-” He glanced down at her, meeting her suspicious glare. “-Okay, you got me. It was Groot's idea.”

 

Lylla couldn't help but smile, a soft chuckle escaping her, “I'll think about it.”

 

“Good enough.” Peter grinned, turning back to the pan. He couldn't help but jump when she climbed up on the counter beside him; her head only slightly taller than his shoulder.

 

“You sure you wanna try again? Haven't you sacrificed enough eggs today?” Lylla joked, looking at the half empty carton that laid beside the stove.

 

Peter snorted, “What, you think you could do better than me?”

 

“Yeah, I really do.”

 

The Terran paused, before groaning, “Ugh, fine. I'll _let_ you do the eggs, and I'll make the fruit salad.”

 

Her ears perked, her stomach suddenly feeling very empty, “Sounds delicious.”

 

“Yeah, and it better taste delicious too. I don't think I could handle a bunch of angry, hungry maniacs today.”

 

Lylla snorted, before carefully picking up one of the purple shelled eggs. _Now, lets see if I remember how to do this..._

 

***

 

Rocket woke up, yet again, to Peter's obnoxiously loud music. _Why can't he just listen to it like a normal person?! I knew humie's ears are bad, but they can't be_ that _bad!_ It helped Quill's case that the song happened to be playing was currently one of Rocket's favorites, _(Supersonic Rocket Ship by The Kinks_ ,) but it still grated on the raccoon's nerves.

 

Knowing there was no chance of ever going back to sleep, he sat up in his small cot, the fur on the side of his face pressed flat from curling up. He brushed his fingers through it to fix it quickly, before hopping off the bed. He rolled up his jumpsuit, which was unzipped to his waist and tied around him (he liked to have it on while he slept, just in case of an emergency,) and pulled it back on. Rocket yawned, before beginning to gently massage the metal brackets under his skin. They got irritated easily when he was still for too long, which was a big pain in the ass. Figuratively and literally.

 

He grimaced in pain as he stretched his arms and legs, the unpleasant tingling of electric shock erupting across his back.

 

 _Gotta fix that._ He thought to himself, letting out a soft groan.

 " _Let me take you on a little trip,_

_my supersonic ship's at your disposal_

_If you feel so inclined. Well alright._

_Nobody's gonna travel second class,_

_there'll be equality_

_And no suppression of minorities. Well alright._

_Let me take you on a little trip,_

_on my supersonic rocket ship.”_

Rocket couldn't help but hum to the lyrics while unlocking his bedroom door, following the familiar sound of Peter's singing down the hall.

 

The table was, surprisingly, set up; bowls of food sat in the middle so you could serve yourself.

 

 _Quill really wasn't kidding about making breakfast._ Rocket snorted, before ripping his eyes away from the table, and around the room. Groot sat in his bean bag chair in the corner, his posture uptight and his eyes glued to his game. Sitting beside him the floor, was Lylla, who watched him with a clear look of curiosity and confusion.

 

He couldn't help but stop and admire her. The way her sandy coloured fur was still ruffled from sleeping, and how her pale green eyes inspected the device in Groot's hands; just being around his old flame was enough to make his heart beat faster. _Barf_.

 

“Wait, so you're just supposed to avoid the obstacles that those dots throw at you?” She asked, leaning closer to the teenager to see the screen.

 

Groot, glanced down at the otter, before quickly back at his game; Rocket could only describe his expression as flustered. _I swear if that little sap gets feelings for her..._

 

“I am Groot.”

 

The light in Lylla's eye died down, and a frown made a way to her face, “Oh, I'm sorry. I can't understand-”

 

“I am Groot.” This time, the tree nodded as well, giving her an understanding smile; his look reminded Rocket of Old Groot, and the innocent grins he would give to him. A familiar ache made its way up his throat, and it had nothing to do with his cybernetics.

 

Lylla smiled back at Groot, gently patting his shoulder, before looking up; meeting Rocket's gaze. She paused, before a small friendly smile came to her face, and she opened her mouth to talk.

 

“Hi-”

 

“I now declare, that breakfast is officially... _done!”_ Peter walked out of the kitchen, a large bowl of cut up fruit in his hands. He grinned, as if he was a kid showing his parents a bug he had caught. He put it down in the middle of the table.

 

“Oh, hey Rocket.” He smiled. “Glad to see you're up to enjoy my _delicious_ meal.”

 

The raccoon rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, “Y'know, the only reason I'm awake right now is because you're blasting your d’ast music!”

 

“You know you like it.”

 

“Quill, I swear to-”

 

“Is that what I think it is?” A voice with a familiar southern drawl to it echoed from down the hall. A few seconds later, Kraglin emerged, a bright grin on his face as he looked at the display on the table “Ooh, Pete, you really shouldn't have!”

 

Peter smiled proudly, “Xandarian Grashroot, cut up just for you, buddy.”

 

“Of course it's just for him, nobody else will eat it. Tastes like shit.”

 

Kraglin ignored Rocket, his bright smile staying on his face as he sat down at the table and began to dig in. With that, everybody began to sit down as well; Gamora, Mantis, and Drax emerging from their rooms a few minutes after Kraglin showed up.

 

“Oh shit, there's not enough seats.” Quill cursed, giving Lylla a guilty glance. Everybody had sat down, except for Lylla, who stood a few steps away from the table.

 

“Oh, it's okay. Making breakfast was nice enough as is.” She gave him a grateful look. “I'll just take my plate and eat down here.”

 

“On the floor?”

 

“I'm used to it.”

 

“Yeah, there's no way I'm letting you do that.” Rocket suddenly remarked with a huff.

 

Lylla turned to him, frowning, “Why not? You all have your seats obviously, and I'm just the guest so-”

 

“Exactly, you're the _guest_. We ain't being good hosts.”

 

“Dude, no offense, but when have you ever cared about good courtesy?” Peter butted in.

 

Rocket turned to face Peter so quickly that a soft creak from his cybernetic spine echoed throughout the room,  “Ever since _my_ girl is being forced to eat on the floor like some sorta dog!”

 

Silence fell over the room, and tension grew expemetionaly. Kraglin coughed awkwardly.

 

“...Lylla, why don't you share a chair with Rocket? There is enough room for the both of you.” Gamora calmly stated, breaking the silence. Peter nodded in agreement, still surprised at Rocket's outburst.

 

Lylla paused, before sighing, and jumping up onto Rocket's chair. She huffed in annoyance, before beginning to spoon a gracious annount of food on her plate. The raccoon noticed, and frowned.

 

“What's up with you?”

 

Lylla snorted, before continuing quietly, “ _My_ _girl?_ Seriously?”

 

“Oh boy…” Quill muttered, knowing where this was going. He had dealt with it himself numerous times with Gamora.

 

“Hey, cut me some slack! I got you sitting up here with us adults, didn't I?”

 

“And you used an outdated nickname to do so. What else are you gonna call me _?_ Dollface? Sweetie? Angel? Lady?”

 

“Fine, I slipped up. Sue me!” Rocket rolled his eyes. “Besides, I remember you saying you didn't mind me calling you any of that stuff.”

 

“...I don't think the little creature has any basis to legally-’

 

“Shut up Drax.”

 

“Just because I said I didn't mind it then, doesn't mean I don't mind it now.” Lylla scoffed, before continuing. “I doubt you'd like being called-”

 

Lylla paused, before glancing at Peter, “What did you call him?”

 

“Uh… a raccoon?” Quill replied, looking sheepish; clearly uncomfortable that he was now thrusted into their argument

 

The otter turned back to Rocket, continuing, “I doubt you'd like it if they started calling you Rocket Raccoon, Rocky Raccoon, or _whatever_ raccoon!”

 

“Hey! That's a low blow.”

 

“Well, _your_ girl apologies.” Lylla hit back, her voice sickly sweet, before immediately turning back to her food.

 

The Guardians (plus one) ate for a few minutes in silence after the argument, which was extremely out of character for them.

 

“Did you… sleep well, Lylla?” Gamora asked softly, finally breaking the tension that had quickly grown in the room.

 

“Oh, not really, no.” The otter shrugged, her shoulder gently brushing against Rocket's, while her eyes were glued to her plate. At the touch, she immediately moved to the edge of the seat so it wouldn't happen again. Rocket noticed, which only worsened his mood. “I wasn't tired.”

 

“I see.” Gamora nodded. “It would be best for you to get some rest then. I'm sure Mantis would help you if you can't by yourself.”

 

Mantis’ straightend her back in attention, her large black eyes falling to Lylla; a surprisingly comforting smile falling onto her face.

 

“I would not mind assisting you.” She chirped cheerfully. Rocket rolled his eyes, glancing at Lylla.

 

“Yeah, I'd definitely not recommended you do that. Bugeyes has a terrible habit on snooping around in ya brain when she offers said _help._ ” He snorted, crossing his arms over his armoured chest, before leaning back in his chair. The otter's eyes flicked over to him, reading his grumpy expression with ease. Lylla paused, before turning her attention back to Mantis, who seemed to shrink under her gaze.

 

“It's because you're an Empath, right? I recognize your species. You have the power to feel another's emotion when you touch them, as well as alter said emotions if needed.”

 

“That is correct!”

 

“How do you know that?” Peter asked, eyebrows raised, “Just curious.”

 

“I was cybernetically engineered to be a nurse. My creators, ever so cautiously, determined giving me information on many of the known species in the Universe would be beneficial. Just in case they needed me to fix up a…” She looked around the room, before gesturing to Groot, “A Flora Colossus! It may be rare, but they'd rather be safe than sorry.”

 

“A nurse, eh? So you must know it's important that you, y'know, actually get some rest? You passed out yesterday from dehydration and malnutrition.”

 

Lylla paused, before nodding softly, “I… suppose. Thank you for the offer, Mantis. I'll gladly accept.”

 

Rocket huffed in time with Mantis’ giddy laugh. _Of course she didn't take my advice._

 

“It has been awhile since I have been asked for help! I am very excited.”

 

“Finish your food first, Manny.” Quill gestured to her full plate. Mantis nodded, and began to politely finish her meal.

 

Lylla glanced down at her own plate, which was filled with a mix of fresh fruit and bacon. _The fruit is fine, but the meat is to die for!_ Her eyes fell to Rocket's, and a soft, nostalgic smile came to her face.

 

“You still don't like Grashroot, I see.”

 

Rocket jumped at her voice, not expecting her warm breath to be so close to his ear after she had moved away; he was currently trying to seperate all of the small green pieces of Grashroot from the rest of the fruit. He shivered softly, his ears flicking back.

 

“What can I say, it'll always taste like shit.”

 

Surprisingly, Lylla began to chuckle; her paw withdrawing from her fork to cover her growing grin. Rocket couldn't help but smile as well, the corners of his mouth angling upwards.

 

“Hey!” Kraglin spluttered from across the table, his cheeks full of the green fruit. “I'll have y'all know, Grashroot is great!”

 

“Yeah, great for target practice. They're always super cheap since, y'know, they're disgusting.”

 

“Y-You’re disgusting!”

 

Unable to continue eating because of her giggles, Lylla pushed her plate back and hopped off the chair. Mantis, as if on cue, stood up as well.

 

“Thank you for the meal, Peter.”

 

“Eh, no trouble at all. I appreciate your help.” He leaned back in his chair, giving her a charming smile.

 

“Kiss ass…” Rocket muttered under his breath.

 

Lylla smiled back, successfully ignoring Rocket, before heading back down the hall; Mantis on her tail.

 

Rocket tried, but couldn't smear the stupid grin off his face; as well quench the stupid tingling feeling in his stomach. _Something must be wrong with my servos._ He told himself, his ears flattening back against his head.

 

“Rocket, as soon as Lylla wakes, you must speak to her.” Gamora interupted his thoughts, her glare killer. “You promised you would.”

 

“Ugh, fine, whatever. Get off my back.” Rocket's smile immediately fell, and with a flick of his eyes, he jumped off the chair as well, leaving behind an almost full plate of food. “I'm heading to the engine room.”

 

Peter's gaze followed the raccoon as he left the room, before swiftly falling to his own plate of food. “...Rocket Raccoon is a pretty cool superhero name, to be honest.” Peter muttered to himself, picking the Grashroot out of his own salad.

 

Gamora scoffed, flicking the back of his head.

 

***

 

“Thank you again for helping me, Mantis.” Lylla looked back at the sheepish girl, closing the door to the guest room behind her.

 

“It is no problem. I enjoy making my fellow teammates comfortable.”

 

“Well, I'm not exactly you're teammate.”

 

“Yes, but like Rocket said, you are our guest!” Mantis began to take off her gloves, setting them carefully on the bedside table.

 

Lylla smiled softly, jumping up on the cot, “I suppose he did.”

 

Mantis nodded, sitting down politely beside her. Lylla's legs hanged off the side of the bed, while the insectoid's feet were planted firmly on the ground. _That's size difference for ‘ya._

 

“So, how does this work? You're supposed to touch me, right?”

 

“Correct.” Her hands, previously clasped together on her lap, untangled themselves. Mantis hesitated, before gently laying one of her soft, pale hands on Lylla's fluffy shoulder. Immediately, the ends of her antennae began to light up; an unsure frown spreading across her face.

 

“I can understand why you could not sleep. You feel… _many_ conflicting emotions.”

 

“Uh huh?”

 

“You are happy to see Rocket again, yet at the same time you are upset with him.” Mantis paused, “And at the same time as well as that, you feel comfortable with us... yet you are scared.”

 

“...but?” Lylla leaned closer towards Mantis, her eyes wide.

 

“But,” She confirmed, her frown softening, “Most of all, you feel… love.”

 

Lylla nodded, leaning back, chuckling softly, “Yeah, I guess so. Peter was pretty nice to make breakfast like he did-”

 

“No. Romantic, sexual love.”

 

“W-what?”

 

Mantis’ large eyes opened, her cheeks tinted a soft green; her grin widening. “You love Rocket!”

 

“Uh-”

 

“But, I do not understand. If you love him, then why do you fight?” Mantis’ smile fell, being replaced with the curious yet concerned frown from before.

 

“You mean the stuff during breakfast?” She paused, before continuing when she saw the taller women's nod. “I wouldn't exactly call that a fight. Even back in the days, when we were closest, Rocky and I would always talk like that. It's kinda how'd we flirt.” _Although, back then, I remember him being much more charming when said ‘fights’ took place._

 

“Ooh, so you were flirting?”

 

Lylla felt hot under her fur from the questioning, “Not exactly…I'm pretty sure that was a genuine disagreement.”

 

“Oh.” Mantis pulled away, her antennae drooping slightly. “I am sorry to hear that.”

 

“Yeah… me too.”

 

Mantis looked back up, meeting her gaze. It was clear she wanted to say something, but was unsure if it was appropriate. Lylla nodded, silently comforting her.

 

The women swallowed, her gaze falling to her hands. “I...do not need to touch Rocket to know he likes you too.” An unsure smile spread across her face. “It may take some time, but I am sure you will once again be flirting like you used to.”

 

Lylla couldn't help but smile at the thought. However, she couldn't help but have doubts. _I'm just...unsure if that's what I truely want, or what_ he _truely wants for that matter. He seems happy without me, with his new family._ “Thank you, Mantis.”

 

“You are very welcome.”

 

They fell into a surprisingly comforting silence as Lylla laid down in her cot. She grimaced as she repositioned herself, before finally deciding sleeping on her stomach was the least painful option. She pulled her long tail close to her self, before letting out a soft sigh; pulling the light blanket up to her chin.

 

“Are you ready?” Mantis asked, standing up. The otter nodded.

 

“You should wake up in a few hours,” She leaned forward, gently pressing her hand against Lylla's forehead, “Have a good rest.”

 

She couldn't remember much after that. Only softness and warmth.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Low-key filler, but I hope you enjoyed anyway. Next chapter is where it gets crazy!
> 
> Please remember to leave a kudos and comments! Comments especially help so much. Thanks for reading! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a kudo and a review of you enjoyed, and I hope to see you next chapter! See ya! :)


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